Universal Decoherence in Solids

TL;DR

This paper derives a universal lower bound on quantum decoherence in solids caused by atomic environments, applicable when the oscillation frequency is below the Debye frequency, based solely on macroscopic parameters.

Contribution

It introduces a universal decoherence bound for quantum oscillations in solids that depends only on macroscopic properties, without unknown interaction constants.

Findings

Universal lower bound on decoherence derived

Bound applicable when oscillation frequency < Debye frequency

Decoherence depends only on macroscopic parameters

Abstract

Symmetry implications for the decoherence of quantum oscillations of a two-state system in a solid are studied. When the oscillation frequency is small compared to the Debye frequency, the universal lower bound on the decoherence due to the atomic environment is derived in terms of the macroscopic parameters of the solid, with no unknown interaction constants.